If you or someone in your family has been told to go to the Cancer Research Institute at Himalayan Hospital, you probably have a hundred questions and very little energy to look for answers. Where exactly is it? Which doctor sits on which day? How do you book? What should you carry? This guide puts everything in one place, in plain language.
We’ve built it from the hospital’s own website, its official OPD schedule and its online booking portal, plus Swami Rama Himalayan University’s department pages. Where something is the hospital describing itself, we say so.
This is visitor information, not medical advice. Treatment decisions belong to your doctors. Timings, doctors and fees can change, so confirm on the official site (himalayanhospital.org) or call the reception before you travel. In an emergency, call 0135 2471225 or 112.
CRI at a glance
- Full name: Cancer Research Institute (CRI), Himalayan Hospital, Swami Rama Himalayan University
- Address: Swami Ram Nagar, PO Jolly Grant, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248016
- Distance from Jolly Grant Airport: about 1 km
- Departments: Surgical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Hematology Oncology
- Director: Dr. Sunil Saini (also Professor and Head, Surgical Oncology)
- OPD hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Saturday
- Reception: 0135 2471200, 0135 2471300
- Online booking: appointment.himalayanhospital.org:214 (slots open every Saturday at 10 AM)
What CRI is, in simple words
CRI is the cancer wing of Himalayan Hospital at Jolly Grant, the 1,200 bed teaching hospital run by the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy for cancer all happen here, under one roof, so patients don’t have to run between different hospitals.
A bit of history helps explain why so many people are referred here. Cancer services on this campus started back in 1992 as a small community cancer clinic. According to SRHU, the institute itself was set up in 2008 with 260 beds across its oncology specialities, and the Cancer Research Institute was formally inaugurated on 12 November 2016 by J.P. Nadda, who was then the Union Health Minister.
The hospital says around 300 cancer patients are treated here every day. That number tells you two things: the team sees a lot of cases, and you should plan for queues.
One thing every patient should know: the Tumor Board
At CRI, every patient’s treatment plan has to be approved by a Tumor Board. That’s a meeting where surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and other specialists look at your reports together and agree on the plan. The hospital says this is mandatory for all patients, and it also runs a weekly quality audit.
In practice, this means your first visits are often about tests and getting your case in front of the board. Don’t be surprised if treatment doesn’t start on day one. It’s part of the process, not a delay.
Departments and what each one does
Surgical Oncology (cancer surgery)
This is the biggest and oldest part of CRI. SRHU lists surgery for cancers of the head and neck, breast, food pipe (oesophagus), stomach and intestines, urinary and reproductive organs, and bones and soft tissue. They also do reconstructive surgery, including microvascular free flap surgery, with support from the plastic surgery team.
To give you an idea of the scale, SRHU’s own figures for the department are roughly 14,500 OPD visits, 1,800 admissions and 3,100 cancer procedures a year, of which about 1,000 are major operations.
Radiation Oncology (radiotherapy)
The radiotherapy unit has two linear accelerators (LINACs) and HDR brachytherapy, and offers techniques like 3D CRT and IMRT. In April 2024 the hospital installed a Halcyon radiotherapy machine. The hospital says each session on it takes only about 2 to 3 minutes, so most patients can go home the same day.
Medical Oncology (chemotherapy and medicines)
This team handles chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy. The hospital also lists cancer screening, counselling for newly diagnosed patients, genetic testing where cancer runs in the family, rehabilitation after chemotherapy, pain management and palliative care.
Hematology Oncology (blood cancers)
The OPD schedule lists a separate Hematology Oncology clinic for blood related cancers. The days are in the table below.
Facilities inside CRI
Based on SRHU’s description of the institute:
- five modular operation theatres with air filtration
- a 16 bed post operative recovery area and a 12 bed ICU for cancer patients
- endoscopy, including endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
- in house pathology with frozen section, histopathology and immunohistochemistry, so many reports don’t need to be sent outside
- PET CT in the nuclear medicine department, which SRHU describes as the only PET CT facility in Uttarakhand
- two linear accelerators, the Halcyon machine and HDR brachytherapy
- pain and palliative care, stoma care, speech therapy and rehabilitation support
- a tumour tissue biobank used for research
The wider hospital also has its own pharmacy, laboratory, MRI, CT, mammography, ICUs, dialysis, a blood bank and a 24 hour emergency and ambulance service.
Doctors and OPD days
People often ask us “who is the best cancer doctor at Himalayan Hospital?” Honestly, we don’t rank doctors, and you shouldn’t trust a website that does. What matters is seeing the right department for your type of cancer, and at CRI the final plan is agreed by the Tumor Board anyway, not by one doctor alone.
What we can tell you is who leads each team and who sits on which day, straight from the hospital’s official OPD schedule:
Department heads
- Dr. Sunil Saini: Director, Cancer Research Institute, and Professor and Head, Surgical Oncology
- Dr. Vipul Nautiyal: Professor and Head, Radiation Oncology
- Dr. Ankit Batra: Medical Oncology
Surgical Oncology OPD
| Day | Doctor(s) |
|---|---|
| Monday | Dr. Sunil Saini, Dr. Madiwalesh Chhebbi |
| Tuesday | Dr. Gurpreet Singh Behl |
| Wednesday | Dr. Sunil Saini, Dr. Manisa Pattanayak |
| Thursday | Dr. Madiwalesh Chhebbi |
| Friday | Dr. Sunil Saini, Dr. Gurpreet Singh Behl |
| Saturday | Dr. Manisa Pattanayak |
Radiation Oncology OPD
| Day | Doctor(s) |
|---|---|
| Monday | Dr. Vipul Nautiyal, Dr. Anmol Mahani |
| Tuesday | Dr. Viney Kumar |
| Wednesday | Dr. Mansi Barthwal, Dr. Anmol Mahani |
| Thursday | Dr. Vipul Nautiyal |
| Friday | Dr. Viney Kumar |
| Saturday | Dr. Mansi Barthwal |
Medical Oncology and Hematology Oncology OPD
| Day | Medical Oncology | Hematology Oncology |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Dr. Ankit Batra | Dr. Aviriti Baveja |
| Tuesday | No OPD listed | No OPD listed |
| Wednesday | Dr. Ankit Batra | Dr. Aviriti Baveja |
| Thursday | No OPD listed | No OPD listed |
| Friday | Dr. Ankit Batra | Dr. Aviriti Baveja |
| Saturday | No OPD listed | No OPD listed |
These schedules are copied from the hospital’s OPD page as of October 2026. Doctors go on leave and rosters change, so check himalayanhospital.org/opd or call reception the day before.
How to book an appointment online
Himalayan Hospital has its own booking portal. Here’s how it works, step by step, based on the hospital’s official booking guide:
- Go to appointment.himalayanhospital.org:214
- Hospital name: Himalayan Hospital is already selected.
- Speciality: choose ONCOLOGY SURGICAL or ONCOLOGY RADIATION. (Medical oncology didn’t appear in the online list when we checked, so book that one at the counter or call reception.)
- Doctor: pick the general OPD option shown for that department.
- Date and time: choose a date and an open time slot, then press Next.
- Patient details: if you’ve visited before, click OLD Patient and enter your registered mobile number or UHID. If it’s your first visit, click NEW Patient and fill in name, date of birth, mobile number, email, address, state and city.
- Email is compulsory, so keep one ready.
- Tick the terms box and click Submit.
- Pay online by card, net banking, wallet or UPI. The hospital’s own guide shows a sample consultation fee of ₹300, but check the current amount on screen.
- Don’t close the payment screen until the invoice appears. Download it or take a screenshot.
- Reach the hospital 15 minutes before your slot.
Important booking rules
- Slots open every Saturday at 10:00 AM, and only for the next one week. Popular days fill up fast, so be online on Saturday morning.
- General OPD bookings are department specific, not doctor specific. You’re booking the department’s OPD for that day. Use the schedule above if you want a particular doctor’s day.
- For any booking problem, email appointment_hh@srhu.edu.in.
The hospital also has a Patient Login portal (his.himalayanhospital.org) for records and online notes, and an official mobile app called Him Sanjeevani, linked from the hospital website.
Can’t book online?
You can still walk in. Go to the registration counter with the patient’s ID during OPD hours (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Saturday), register, and you’ll be sent to the right OPD. Come early, because the morning queues are the longest.
Contact numbers
| What you need | Number or email |
|---|---|
| Reception | 0135 2471200, 0135 2471300 |
| Emergency | 0135 2471225, 0135 2471400 |
| Ambulance | 0135 2471100 |
| Hospital email | ms.hh@srhu.edu.in |
| Appointment help | appointment_hh@srhu.edu.in |
What to carry on your first visit
- photo ID of the patient (Aadhaar or similar) and of the attendant
- all reports in one folder, in date order: biopsy report, scans (CT, MRI, PET), blood tests, and any discharge summaries
- the actual biopsy slides and blocks if you were tested at another hospital. Ask that lab for them before you come; review of slides is very common in cancer care.
- CDs or films of earlier scans, not just the printed reports
- a list of every medicine the patient takes, with doses
- Ayushman card, insurance card or other scheme papers, and any referral letter
- your booking invoice, if you booked online
- a power bank, water, light snacks and a warm layer in winter
Ayushman Bharat, insurance and costs
The hospital describes itself as Ayushman certified, and public listings show it as empanelled under schemes like PM-JAY and CGHS. Cancer treatment can run for months, so go to the scheme or insurance desk on your first visit, not after treatment starts. Ask:
- whether your treatment is covered and what documents are needed
- whether approvals are needed before surgery, chemo or radiotherapy
- for a written estimate for anything not covered
Costs depend on the cancer, stage and treatment, so no website can give you a reliable number. Ask the billing desk for an estimate once the Tumor Board has decided the plan.
How to reach CRI
CRI is inside the Himalayan Hospital campus at Jolly Grant, right next to the airport, on the Dehradun to Rishikesh highway. It is not in Dehradun city.
| Coming from | Distance | Travel time (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Jolly Grant Airport | about 1 km | 5 minutes |
| Doiwala railway station | about 6 km | 15 minutes |
| Rishikesh | about 20 km | 25 to 40 minutes |
| Dehradun city / railway station | about 25 km | 45 to 60 minutes |
| Haridwar railway station | about 35 km | 50 to 70 minutes |
- By air: fly into Jolly Grant Airport. A taxi to the hospital takes about 5 minutes. See our Jolly Grant Airport guide.
- By train: Doiwala is the closest station, but fewer trains stop there. Most people come via Dehradun or Haridwar and take a taxi. Our Jolly Grant to Dehradun and Jolly Grant to Haridwar guides have the details.
- By bus: take any Dehradun to Rishikesh bus and get off at Himalayan Hospital chowk (HIHT chowk), then walk or take an auto to the gate.
- By car: follow the Dehradun to Rishikesh highway to Jolly Grant. The hospital has parking for patients and visitors.
Once you’re on campus, ask the help desk for the Cancer Research Institute building. Staff are used to guiding new patients.
Where to stay and eat nearby
Cancer treatment often means several visits, or weeks of daily radiotherapy, so many families need somewhere close.
- Stay: the Jolly Grant and Swami Ram Nagar area right around the hospital has guest houses and lodges used to hosting patients’ families. Ask the hospital help desk about attendant accommodation too. See where to stay near Jolly Grant.
- Food: there are canteens on campus, and places like Yatharth Bhoj (pure veg) and Little Garden Cafe are close to Himalayan Chowk. More options are in our hangout places guide.
- During chemo or radiotherapy, ask the doctors or the dietician what the patient should and shouldn’t eat before bringing outside food.
Practical tips from local experience
- Book on Saturday morning. Slots open at 10 AM and go quickly.
- Arrive early even with a booking. Registration, tests and billing all have queues.
- Split the work if two people come: one stays with the patient, one handles counters.
- Keep every slip. UHID, receipts and test slips are needed again and again.
- Plan for several visits before treatment starts: tests, reports, Tumor Board, then the plan.
- For radiotherapy, treatment usually runs for days or weeks, so arrange a stay nearby.
- Ask questions. Write them down before each visit so you don’t forget in the moment.
- Look after the caregiver too. Our attendant’s guide has tips on food, stay and self care.
Related guides
- Heart specialists at Himalayan Hospital: doctors, OPD days and booking
- Visiting Himalayan Hospital, Jolly Grant
- Attendant’s guide to Himalayan Hospital
- Where to stay near Jolly Grant
Frequently asked questions
It is inside the Himalayan Hospital campus at Swami Ram Nagar, Jolly Grant, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248016, about 1 km from Jolly Grant Airport on the Dehradun to Rishikesh highway.
The hospital lists OPD hours as 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday to Saturday. Each cancer department has specific doctors on specific days, so check the official OPD schedule before you go.
Use the official portal appointment.himalayanhospital.org:214, choose Oncology Surgical or Oncology Radiation, pick a date and slot, enter patient details and pay online. Slots open every Saturday at 10 AM for the next one week only.
Dr. Sunil Saini is the Director of the Cancer Research Institute and Professor and Head of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Vipul Nautiyal heads Radiation Oncology.
Reception is 0135 2471200 and 0135 2471300, emergency is 0135 2471225 and 0135 2471400, and the ambulance number is 0135 2471100.
Yes. SRHU says the institute has PET CT in its nuclear medicine department, two linear accelerators, HDR brachytherapy, and a Halcyon radiotherapy machine installed in April 2024.
The hospital describes itself as Ayushman certified. Coverage depends on the scheme, the treatment and your eligibility, so visit the scheme desk on your first visit to check.
Patient and attendant ID, all previous reports in date order, scan films or CDs, biopsy slides and blocks from any outside lab, a list of current medicines, and any Ayushman, insurance or referral papers.
